


It Started With A Chance Meeting on a Film-Set

by fromthedepthsofinsanity



Series: First Line - Homestuck Edition [7]
Category: Homestuck, MS Paint Adventures
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Sburb Session, Archiveofourown Exclusive, F/M, First Line Series, First Meetings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2016-08-07
Packaged: 2018-07-29 20:42:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7698712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fromthedepthsofinsanity/pseuds/fromthedepthsofinsanity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Jake makes a very clumsy introduction.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It Started With A Chance Meeting on a Film-Set

It started with a chance meeting on a film-set. Well, not so much  _ chance _ as it was him running smack into the lead actress with a flimsy tray full of coffee and cupcakes. 

But, God, Jake never thought he would get so lucky again. 

While everyone fussed and some screamed and still one or two others took it upon themselves to berate him, she had laughed as if it was the single funniest thing she had ever seen. He couldn’t really see the humor in ruining such a pretty dress, or making the well-worked curl at the end of her hair fall limp, or forcing the well-set, extremely carefully placed make-up run down her heart-shaped face in dark rivers. But even still, she laughed, holding her sides, nearly bending over double, and snorting occasionally. Even while an “utter mess” as her assistants repeatedly put it, Jake, against his better judgement, thought she was flawless. 

“That took-” She tried through both tears and painful laughter, “All this took two hours! All gone!” 

Jake did the only thing he could do. He dropped what little he had left in his arms, turned sharply on his heels, and made to walk out the way he came in. He would just have to explain to Jane that the gifts she made for Roxy never made it to the studio. In fact, they never made it anywhere because he consumed them ravenously as soon as he rounded the corner from her cafe. Yes, that was a convincing enough lie, he thought. It was a move he might make if he was starving. Or insane. Or just plain stupid.

And Jane would never go for it. He’d never be asked to do another favor for her ever. Trust completely broken forever and always. He was not looking forward to this particular brand of the Walk of Shame. 

“Wait, wait!” A hand slid into his sticky palm and stopped him, “Don’t go. I’m sorry I laughed,” There was still a giggle to her voice, and Jake’s heart sank a little. He couldn’t even open his mouth to say his own sorries, and here she was saying it with a grin on her face, “It was really funny though,” Jake groaned a little. It wasn’t even a little bit funny. Jane was going to throttle him, “Let’s get ya cleaned up a little. We both need it. Take five everybody!” 

Jake wanted to protest just as badly as he wanted to apologize, but his embarrassment coupled with her insistence left him mute and a little red in the face. He was dragged through a crowd of grumbles, groans, and a single bell not unlike the one he had heard during high school to a door with a golden name scrawled into it: Roxy Lalonde. 

Of course. Not only was she the lead actress, but she was also the recipient of Jane’s so lovingly made gift. He was going to be double murdered; there might even be peanuts involved. At the very least, he could expect something sharp like a fork or sword. 

“So, where did Janey dig ya up, hm?” He was sat in her chair and already she was patting his face and neck with a fluffy, white, slightly damp towel, “Can’t believe she managed to hide ya for so long being as handsome as ya are. She normally gushes all over the place when she meets someone cute.” 

She stopped her patting to snort and snicker, “Wink, wonk, am I right?” 

It took a moment, but the moment the information hit his brain he turned red from the roots of his hair to the tips of his toes. Jane thinking about-  _ Oh _ . He had never even thought. He tried to hide his face and save himself from both her kindness and teasing. 

“Handsome and out-to-lunch! Ya don’t even notice, do ya?” Her giggles would be the death of him, “Yer just havin’ a rough day,” She shook her head as she forced his hands away from his face, “Tell ya what. I’ll tell Janey the cupcakes were great as usual and the coffee even better if ya tell me yer name. How’s that for compromise?” 

He cleared his throat, but hardly composed himself, “It’s, umm. Uhh, it’s Jake English, ma’am. But you don’t have to lie for me-” 

“Oh!” Her outburst shocked him, “ _ Yer _ Jake! Janey has told me about ya! Kinda undersold ya a bit, if I have anythin’ t’say about it.” 

“Ermm, thank you,” As if he couldn’t get anymore red, “But, uh, about the lie-” 

“She’s probably not even gonna ask, tbh. Don’t ya worry ‘bout that. Now, stay still.” 

“Miss Roxy-” 

“Maybe I’ll swing by later and ask her for a second helpin’. I deserve a break in the middle of the day, right?” 

“Miss Roxy, can I just-” 

“Janey can close up shop for thirty minutes or so, and we can get lunch. She needs to dish some sweet deets or somethin’. I know she’s got gossip.” 

“Miss Roxy!” Jake didn’t mean to shout. Really he didn’t, but Roxy wouldn’t let him cut in any other way, “I’m very sorry, but can we talk about your dress? Or your make-up? Or anything else?! I ruined all of it and-and, could you just yell at me please?! You’re still a mess, and here you are being much too nice to me, and I really don’t deserve it! Please don’t lie to Jane for me. She’ll probably figure it out anyway! Just…” 

He trailed off, and the staring contest began. Not only did he spill sweets and drinks on this lovely woman, but now he had yelled at her for being kind. Karma was going to give him quite the haymaker very soon, he was absolutely sure. Especially now that those gorgeous pink jewels resting behind long, light eyelashes were boring holes through him. Her smile was gone, and she looked on the verge of dropping everything and walking away from him. 

Jake was sure that would be worse than her blowing up completely. 

“I’m sorry,” His sins had grown too big for simple apologies, but he could say nothing less, “You aren’t a mess. I mean, you  _ are _ , but not like, err. What I mean is that you’re a bit dirty because of my carelessness- Oh, that’s even worse.” 

The hole he’s dug might as well become his tomb, filled with possessions from the life he’d so clumsily given up and a few hastily written notes on every mistake he had made in the last ten minutes. It’d be enough to bury him and spare the dirt. 

His fumbling only came to a halt when a raspberry cut through her silence. Jake stopped immediately and forced himself to look at her squarely. Her fingers did nothing to conceal her grin, catlike and large and deepening the dimples on her cheeks, and any attempts her full rosy lips made at concealing her pearly whites were quickly demolished by the stuttering puffs of air announcing her laughter’s arrival. A snort or two made its way into line before titters slid through her teeth. 

“Ya should see yer face,” She tried, positively  _ bubbling _ with giggles, “What a dork. ‘Just yell at me,’” More snorts, “‘Please, don’t be nice to me, Miss Roxy. I can’t handle it,’” She covered her face to laugh into her sticky palms, “Yer so freakin’ cute.” 

He wanted to curl up and die. Not once, but twice now he had a gorgeous girl laughing. If only both had been entirely intentional and not at all self-destructive. 

Taking a deep breath and sighing contently, Roxy smiled back up at him. He couldn’t return it, “Well, that was nice, but I think it might be time for you to go. Imma shower-” 

“I’m sorry,” He cut in dejectedly. 

“And redo my makeup.” 

“I am so sorry-” 

“But before you go,” Roxy picked up a pink gel pen from a nearby stand and grabbed Jake’s hand, scrawling in neat, albeit bubbly loops across the tanned back of it, “I may not get another break today, but I will most definitely be done by eight tonight. I wantcha t’call, kay? We’ll get a late dinner or somethin’. Sound good?” 

Jake looked down at his hand in disbelief. There it was, in the same color pink as her eyes, a number, and not even a phony 555-whatever, but an actual, call-able number, along with her name. Not like he would forget it. She shooed him out the door, where he wobbled under the weight of the progression of events. 

“Remember, eight, okay?” 

He nodded, maybe a little too eagerly despite his daze, “Eight, yeah.” 

“Bye,” She winked, and the door was closed. 

Jake looked down at his hand again. The pink was still there bright and happy. Not a joke, not a dream, not a fake number. He could have jumped for joy; maybe even clicked his heels. As it was, he could only manage turning around and blissfully walk out the way he came in. So long as he could ride this high all the way back to Jane’s, he wouldn’t have to lie to her at all and be completely okay with what had happened. 

Jake didn’t think he’d get so lucky ever again. 

**Author's Note:**

> I really wish I had a solid ship that involved Roxy, but no matter who people ship her with, I always find it lacking. I tried my best with this, but I still believe that there is no one in the Homestuck universe good enough for Roxy. She deserves the best damn boyfriend a creator can make, and sorry everybody else, but no one really makes the cut. 
> 
> Still hope you enjoyed!


End file.
